Massive Leak of Israeli Classified Data by Anti-Israel Hackers Intensifies Cyber Warfare

Anti-Israel hackers have leaked thousands of classified documents, overwhelming Israel's cybersecurity. The data, published on platforms like Telegram, has sparked international implications, with Telegram founder Pavel Durov detained in France for refusing to censor the content. Israel faces difficulties in mitigating the damage amid ongoing conflicts.

Anti-Israel hackers have unleashed a torrent of classified information, significantly undermining Israel's efforts to control the leaks, according to Turkey-based Anadolu Agency, which cited the Israeli daily Haaretz. Tens of thousands of sensitive documents and emails stolen from Israeli institutions, notably the Justice Ministry, are among the leaked materials, it reported.

The cyber assaults, initiated on October 7, 2023, have primarily targeted military and defence contractors, hospitals, and government ministries. Israel's cybersecurity infrastructure has been strained by the sheer magnitude of the breach. A source involved in the investigation stated, "The true extent of the damage to Israel's security and economy caused by these leaks is not yet fully known," Anadolu Agency reported.

Despite significant investments in defensive cybersecurity measures, the leaks represent the gravest breach in Israel's history, characterized as an unprecedented plundering of gigabytes of diverse information, the report disclosed. The leaked data has surfaced on platforms like Telegram, resulting in multiple takedown attempts by Israeli authorities. However, Telegram's limited moderation policies have hindered these efforts.

"Telegram surfaced at the beginning of the conflict as a vital platform utilized by Hamas' information operations against Israel, one that Israel was unable to adequately monitor or understand," Anadolu Agency quoted Haaretz as saying. American commentator Jackson Hinkle highlighted that anti-Israel hackers have disseminated the information on Telegram, and that Telegram's founder, Pavel Durov, who had resisted Israel's censorship requests, was detained by French authorities.

In a post on X, Hinkle stated, "Anti-Israel hackers who stole gigabytes of sensitive Israeli data have been publishing the classified information on TELEGRAM. Telegram refused Israel's request to censor them. Today, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France and now faces 20 years in prison." Israel has attempted to mitigate the damage through legal actions and direct talks with tech giants such as Google, Amazon, and Meta. However, the hackers have employed decentralized hosting services and "onion domains" to obscure the source of the data and obstruct takedown attempts. The Gaza conflict erupted after Hamas operatives infiltrated Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping over 240.

CNN also reported that Telegram's founder, Pavel Durov, who was under an arrest warrant, was apprehended by French authorities at an airport near Paris. Officers from France's anti-fraud office, affiliated with French customs, detained the Franco-Russian billionaire on Saturday evening upon his arrival at Bourget Airport on a flight from Azerbaijan, as reported by CNN affiliate BFMTV.

Durov, 39, was wanted in France due to Telegram's lack of moderation, which allegedly facilitated money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of pedophilic content. According to BFMTV, Durov had avoided traveling to France and Europe since the issuance of the arrest warrant. France's arrest warrant charged Durov with complicity in drug trafficking, crimes against children, and fraud, citing the lack of content moderation on Telegram and his non-cooperation with law enforcement, according to the Moscow Times which referred to French local media.

The Russian-born creator of Telegram, which claims over 900 million users, currently resides in Dubai. He gained French citizenship in August 2021. Durov, also the founder of the VKontakte social network, departed Russia in 2014 after he refused to share VKontakte users' data with Russian security agencies. Subsequently, Russia's attempt to block Telegram for its refusal to provide users' online communications to security services was unsuccessful. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)